Method of loading short-range shot-shells.



No. 873,346 PATENTED DEC. 10, 1907.

\ L. D. CHRISTIE.

METHOD OF LOADING SHORT RANGE SHOT SHELLS.

APPLICATION III-ED JUNE 10 1907.

INVENTOH I WITNESSES :zw. QQM 1w.

A TTOH/VEY HE NORRIS PETERS co., wnsmrvdrcu iinirnn s'ra'rns PATENT CFFTQE.

LEWIS CHRISTIE, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE UNION METALLIC CARTRIDGE COMPANY, OF BRIDGEIORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- NECTICUT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed June 10. 1907. Serial No. 378.074.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Lnwis D. CHRISTIE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bridgeport, county of Fairfield, State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful Method of Loading Short-Range Shot-Shells, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a novel method of loading shot shells, more especially short, range shot shells of the type in which the charge of shot is divided into sections separated by wads for the purpose of improving the pattern, that is, pro ducing a pattern at short range in which the charge of shot shall be spread approximately uniformly over a given area, as, for example, a thirty inch circle. It is, of course, well understood that the charges of shot required for different kinds of shooting vary from less than one ounce to one and one-halfounces. here the charge of shot is divided into sec tions, however, as is found desirable for short range shooting, ordinary loading machines do not contain punches enough in the series to provide for placing the powder charge, the several wads and the sections of the shot charge in place.

My present invention, therefore, has for its object to provide a method of loading short range shot shells that will enable me to load the shells with shot charges of any required weight, and divided into a plurality of sections, with an ordinary loading machine.

lNith this end in view I have devised the novel method of loading short range cartridges with sectional shot charges which I will now describe, referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification and using reference characters to indicate the several parts:

Figure 1 is an elevation of a shot cartridge loaded in accordance with my novel method, the shell being partly broken away to show the method of loading; and Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line 2-2 in Fig. 1 looking down. 1

1O denotes an ordinary shot shell, 11 the head thereof, 12 powder, 13 felt wads, 14 a minimum shot charge complete in itself, 15 a supplemental shot charge and 16 the top wad which is retained in place by crimping the outer end of the shell upon it, as at 17.

The method .of loading, which is performed by an ordinary loading machine, is as follows:

The powder is placed in the shell; then a plurality of felt wads are placed thereon by separate punches, then a minimum shot charge complete in itself is placed above the felt wads, then a supplemental charge of shot .is placed over that, then the top wad is placed over the supplemental charge and the top wad and with it the entire charge is seclurpld in place by crimping the end of the s e It should be understood that the minimum shot load, so far as the present invention is concerned, is complete in itself. The minimum shot loads for the purposes of my present invention may be made up in any manner. They consist essentially of a shot charge divided into a plurality of sections, the sections being separated by intermediate wads, with top and bottom wads at the ends of the charge, the whole being inclosed in a wrapping of light paper which is secured either by pasting or crimping to the top and bottom wads so that the charges may be handled by a loading machine without danger of their breaking open. that a short range cartridge is required with a one and three-eighth or one and one-half ounce shot charge separated by three or more intermediate wads. The minimum charge in the present instance consists of three sections of shot separated by two intermediate wads indicated by 18, with top and bottom wads indicated respectively by 19 and 20, and a wrapping indicated by 21. We will suppose that the sections of the minimum charge weigh three-eighths of an ounce each, making the total weight of the minimum charge one and one-eighth ounces. Should it be required to bring the charge up to one and three-eighth ounces, a supplemental charge 15 weighing two-eighths of an ounce would be placed in the shell. Should it be required that the total shot charge weigh one and onehalf ounces a supplemental charge weighing three-eighths of an ounce would be placed above the minimum charge, after which, as already stated, a top wad 16 would be set in place and secured by crimping the end of the shell. It will be seen that this method of loading reduces the number of operations by five, as the minimum charge is set in place by a single operation, whereas should the charges and wads comprising the minimum charge be placed in the shell independently five additional operations would be required,

Suppose, for example,

which consists in forming uniformly definite minimum shot charges, each consisting of a plurality of sections so arated by wads, which charges are complete in themselves, placing one of said charges in each shell and producing the required weight of shot by the addition of supplemental shot charges of a weight to bring the total up to the requirements of special lines of shells In testimony whereof I affix my signature, 25

in presence of two witnesses.

LEWIS n. CHRISTIE. Witnesses MINNIE B. Borsronn, HENRY 0. RYLANns. 

